Blue Rosemary
by Junjou-is-pureheart
Summary: Never go to the forest when night comes. Never try to wander into the depth of the lost wood. Never look back when you feel like you're being followed. There is a dangerous beast that lives in the forest. It is the urban legend Aoba has learned when he was still a kid, and never believed in until now. AU
1. Boy meets Beast

_Never go to the forest when night comes. Never try to wander into the depth of the lost wood. Never look back when you feel like you are being followed._

_There is a dangerous beast that lives in the forest._

It was an urban legend that was very well known in Old District Village. Aoba remembered very well that he heard it for the first time when he had just moved to the village, from his grandmother Tae whom he lived with until this very day. They lived simple, happy lives together.

The urban legend was more well rooted in the village than the blue haired boy had imagined though. It started as rumours when he was still a little kid, but the effect was instant. The villagers made sure the children were not near the forest when evening came, and that they only went to forest during the day to work (be it hunting animals or collecting weeds). They made a warning sign informing how far it was safe to go and ensured sure no one ever ventured beyond by surrounding the perimeter with barbed wire fencing. Truthfully, Aoba thought it was all a bit ridiculous.

_There is a beast living in the forest,_they had said.

_He hates humans more than anything, and he is not afraid to show his hatred, howling every single night._

What started the rumour Aoba would never know, he wasn't born in the village after all. A couple of travellers found him near a church around 30 miles from Old District Village, and they had brought the little kid and adopted him as their son, at least until they went travelling again and left Aoba with Tae. When Aoba started living there, the rumour had already started long before, developing into an urban legend over the _ years.

Aoba first asked Tae about it when he was six after his very first friend, Koujaku, warned him not to go to the forest. In curiousity as Koujaku didn't give Aoba a detailed explanation, Aoba went to seek his grandmother's answer. And so Tae told him about the urban legend.

The beast that was living in hatred for the humans.

"Of course, I don't actually believe it," Tae huffed an annoyed sigh, and Aoba's eyes widened in surprise as his grandmother went to the kitchen and continued to check over the oven. "It was a real good lie to scare your children with, some fabricated little story about a scary beast rather than outright telling them about how it's just wolves."

Aoba furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as he swung his legs under the table, waiting for Tae to finish baking his favourite doughnuts. "Aren't wolves also scary?"

"Of course they are. But kids your age are full of energy and curiosities. They may think, 'ah, it won't hurt to actually take a peek and then run away.' And I swear to heavens that if you're thinking about that right now because I am telling you this, these doughnuts will NOT end up inside your stomach."

Though the little blue haired boy wanted to whine, his strong grandmother's glare was more than enough for him to slowly nod and shut up. His ever strict, yet patient grandmother sighed at her surrogate grandchild's antics. "The wolves are scary things and they are real. Beasts however, are not. They are something unrealistic... something without an image to be imagined, something you should pay no mind to. For naughty children who know no boundaries, what's a more effective way to scare them?"

"…So there actually is no scary beast that lives in forest?" Aoba dragged his words on purpose, afraid that Tae would shoot back in anger about his developing curiosity.

"With how the logic stands, no, I don't think so." Tae huffed again and brought the basket that was now filled with Aoba's favourite doughnuts to their dining table—a sweet aroma quickly filling the room. She quickly slapped Aoba's hand away and glared a look that could kill when Aoba's hand pried to reach one. "It's still hot."

Aoba pouted as he took his hand back and sat with his knees pressed against the edge of the dining table. His eyes sparkled with bits of energetic curiosity that young kids usually have over new knowledge, listening as Tae continued with a scary grin.

"There is no urban legend and fairy tale kind of thing such as scary beast. However, there are still wolves that will eat young children and shred them into tiny pieces of flesh. Oh, and they will feed you to the little wolves to be consumed again and again then swallowed up into nothing, like how I will feed you these doughnuts."

The flash of curiosity in Aoba's hazel eyes was gone, replaced by a dull look of horror and mortification.

And it might be just his feeling, but Tae never looked this satisfied at his reaction before.

"So, which is scarier? The beast or the wolves?" The old woman grinned.

Aoba lost his appetite and his childhood curiosity was destroyed that night.

But after years and years living with Tae, Aoba started to understand what she had meant more, and he had never been more thankful. When you become an adult, you start realizing things you never wanted to admit before, and it becomes hard when you have to overcome new, harsh realities over sweet childish dreams. Tae had never spoilt him. She had always been strict _ yet caring to Aoba, and the once little kid had now grown into a fine young adult without many problems. She never lied or told Aoba unnecessary things. And though her sarcastic behaviour and stubbornness might have rubbed off the now long blue haired man a bit she always taught him to believe in himself and never give up on what he thought was right.

Aoba was really, really thankful for his grandmother's care and tough love.

And because of that, now he could see why the once scary urban legend had become a very ridiculous and childish thing to keep the children away from the forest.

The forest might have been really dangerous, but to tell of a hideous creature taking the form of a beast was pushing it. He was surprised when he learned that not only children, but most of adults also believed in it. It was ridiculous each time he heard a worker that came home at evening "because the beast will be back at nights," or talking about some foolish accidents like how they were injured in forest which they blamed on "The beast's curse."

_The beast, huh? If you have time to spout nonsense, why don't you first reflect on your actions before blaming it into some kind of fake nonsense?_

Living with a stubborn woman like Tae made Aoba became a cynical, yet positive natured person. He really believed that the urban legend was just some sort of a way for the villagers to run away from their mistakes in life and to blame it on something else. Of course, he had never seen the wolves himself, but had heard them alright. Those howls… made him doubt his own beliefs.

_There is a beast living in the forest,_

_He hates humans more than anything, and he is not afraid to show his hatred, howling every single night._

…

The urban legend did say that, but personally… Aoba thought their howls sounded so sad and lonely.

But Aoba had no time to indulge the issue further. He had other more serious matters he had to take care of.

Because with each year passed, Tae's health gradually dropped. She was still the same stubborn old woman he knew, but by the time he turned twenty, he could no longer miss the increasing coughs and the visible tiredness reflected in her eyes.

He tried not to think about it, but he knew that Tae was no longer a young woman, and it was obviously affecting her body.

It was one of the realities Aoba wanted to run from—but had to accept as an adult.

For the last two years, Aoba had been taking Tae for frequent visits to the medical centre of the village, though Tae was strongly against it at first. Aoba was able to convince her somehow, and finally Tae gave up after seeing how much Aoba worried over her. Even with a body that was falling behind, Tae seemed as fine and energetic as her stubbornness.

He was living such normal, yet happy days.

Then it happened—on his birthday too, no less.

"Yooo, Aoba! Happy birthday!"

"Happy birthday, Aoba! I brought some cakes for you and Mrs. Tae!"

"Aoba! Happy birthday to you!"

"Koujaku…! Clear! Mizuki too!" Aoba smiled and looked at his friends who had been waving presents to him. "Thank you!"

Koujaku had come with Clear—his other dorky and kind-of-weird but good natured friend—and Mizuki—leader of a gang but with a really fun personality—to his house to congratulate him and celebrate his twenty-third birthday together. Noiz, the new brat that just moved here few years ago and seemed to like to pick a fight with Koujaku, came briefly to Aoba's surprise and Koujaku's annoyance to give Aoba's a present.

"Punk, what the hell you're coming here for?" Koujaku glared at Noiz, in which the blond gave him a small annoyed glance before he huffed.

"It's not your business is it? I came to see him, not you." Noiz moved his thumb over Aoba and the blue haired man sighed at the small impolite gesture. While he's thankful for Noiz's concern, the guy definitely was still a childish, impolite brat.

"Why you—" Koujaku was about to grab Noiz's collar but thankfully Clear was there to stop him from starting another fight. Aoba thank him inside—he didn't want his house to be a new field for them to fight in.

"Shut up you brats!" Tae's angry voice could be heard from the kitchen and all of them quickly shut their mouths at the sudden shout. "You want me to smack you again?!"

A familiar scene where once Koujaku fought with Noiz in this house replayed in their minds, and the boys promptly stayed silent and obedient. No, they really didn't need to be reminded about the day Tae smacked all of the young adults and stopped their fight with only a spatula in her hand and the veins in her forehead.

"Oh, by the way, that guy said to give this to you." Noiz handed him another present and Aoba raised one of his eyebrows. "That guy? Who—"

When Aoba saw the present and the familiar aborigine native pattern of the wrap though, he knew almost immediately who Noiz meant.

Mink didn't come, but Aoba was also surprised to know that a rough looking guy that seemed to be very distant to people like him to go all the way to give him a present. Inwardly Aoba smiled. He knew from the start that Mink was rough, but soft natured deep inside.

After dinner, some bickering from Noiz and Koujaku, some smacks and some shared laughs, everyone finally came home. Aoba softly smiled as he closed the door. Tae came from behind him as she noticed his melancholic expression.

"Tired?" She asked. Her grandchild let out a laugh.

"It was a tiring day, but I am happy. Everyone come to celebrate my birthday and I got so many presents!" Aoba then approached Tae and hugged her. Tae could see his soft hazel eyes brimming in happiness before the warmth of her grandchild's arms enveloped her. "And you're also still here too, Grandma. Thank you."

"Hmph. Of course I am here. Where do you think I'll be going?" She scoffed in an annoyed tone, noticing the underlying implication of Aoba's words. Aoba laughed as he earned another smack on his head. Tae released herself from the hug, then looked up at Aoba with a sad, yet proud gaze.

"You're taller than me now. Time passes so fast." Her voice was notably softer and frailer than her usual rough tone.

"…yeah." Aoba nodded. "I used to be a really short and whiny kid huh?"

The pink haired old woman only chuckled. "You've turned into a fine young man."

"All thanks to you."

Tae smiled and this time was the one initiating the embrace.

"Happy birthday, Aoba. I'll always believe in you and your choices. Remember to never give up, always."

"Grandma…."

"I will always wish for your happiness."

He could feel a painful tug in his chest along with the warmth of happiness as he tried to choke down a sob. "Yeah…"

Aoba released Tae and they smiled at the quiet peaceful evening, until he faintly heard it again.

The howl. The wolf's sad and lonely howl. It pained Aoba to be able to feel how almost human that voice was.

"It's the howl again…" Aoba approached the window and unconsciously brought his hand to put the curtain away, eyes gazed to the now dark forest that seemed to be forgotten. For some reasons, even though he knew it was not possible, he felt as if he could at least comfort the source of that sad howl just by being there—as if he could tell that they were not alone.

As he thought of that, the bitter howl slowed before finally blending with the silence of the night.

Of course there was no way those wolves could hear or feel what Aoba thought, but it still felt as though Aoba succeeded in comforting them and that thought strangely warmed Aoba.

"They really went overboard to make this urban legend story real, didn't they?" Aoba chuckled as he closed the curtains. "Howl filled with hatred for humans, huh? How's this kind of sad howl comes even close to that, right Grandma?"

Aoba furrowed his brows as he expected some kind of snarky comment as usual from his grandmother. It confused him as silence was his only reply in the room.

"Grandma? …!"

He turned his back—only to find his grandmother already lying on the floor, unmoving.

No… no…!

It was too much to take in–too many emotions competing for his attention. Shock, fear, pain, worry; all were blended into one as he rushed over to his grandmother's side and checked on her. She was breathing heavily, face flushed red and sweating. Aoba could only shiver in horror as he felt her rising, hot temperature.

"Aoba…" She tried but Aoba cut her off, carefully moving her onto his back so he could carry her.

Doctor… they needed to see a doctor…

"Don't talk, okay? Just don't talk! You'll be okay!" Aoba shouted and he was disappointed for not being able to hide his panic tone in his voice, he kicked the front door open, and flinched as he felt a strong wind hit his body. He cursed inwardly, sensing a storm was to come.

Dammit, could this get any worse?! A storm… tonight of all days…

He couldn't dwell on this too much. He had to get Tae to the medical hut. It was pretty far but Aoba had been working in a junk shop as a delivery boy. This distance was nothing compared to that. Finding his resolve Aoba started to run, fighting against the strong wind, hoping he could at least get into the hut before it rained.

Aoba could feel his heart clenching and something burst in his heart. His vision started to blur, battered by wind and tears. How could he have not realized this sooner? Tae was always a stubborn and strong old woman, but she was also a hard working person. From this morning, she had not stopped cooking and preparing things for Aoba's birthday.

She loved him and cared for him that much… that she pushed her limits even though she was supposed to know her body couldn't take it. And everything was because it was his birthday. She wanted to make him happy.

_My fault… It's my fault…_

Aoba gritted his teeth as he ran. He could feel drizzles of water splashing his face and he cursed, picking up his pace while trying not to let Tae fall from his back.

_Happy birthday, Aoba. I'll always believe in you and your choices. Remember to never give up, always._

_I will always wish for your happiness._

No. His happiness was his life with Tae and his friends. Her words ringing in his head and he knew that she was the reason why he could live his life like this.

"Don't worry Grandma… I won't give up. Just like what you said…. You'll be okay."

He reached the hut on time, just as the rain was unleashed from the heavens. Bursting through the doors he screamed at the nearest nurse and begged her to look at Tae. Responding quickly the nurse called a doctor, bringing Tae into an emergency room while they waited. Aoba's chest heaved, his back hitting and sliding down the wall until he slumped to the ground.

He had been running from his house while holding on to Tae's weight without stopping, fighting off an oncoming storm as he went. While Tae was not heavy, it was still tiring to carry another's lifeless weight that distance. His legs hurt from the exertion and his body was exhausted. The panic and worries were still clinging to him, and he was sure it would never truly go until he knew Tae was alright.

The sound of footsteps broke his reverie and he looked up to see a man, dressed in a white overcoat and a plastic name tag around his neck. It must be the doctor.

"How's Grandma?" Aoba quickly stood up and tried to be calm… to no avail. The doctor's face looked haggard and Aoba could feel his heartbeat begin to accelerate in his chest. That kind of expression was never good news.

"She has a high fever. It seems like she overdid her work and was hit by exhaustion. Normally this would be okay, but she is already an ageing woman." The doctor sighed and Aoba bit his lips. He knew it. Tae was working too hard, pushing herself too far.

…because it was his birthday…

"Will she be okay?" Aoba murmured, and he could even feel something akin to pleading tone in his voice. The doctor hung his head and knotted his eyebrows.

"I am so sorry, but I can't be so sure."

Aoba could feel his shoulders drop in horror and it even hurt to breathe as the voice of the doctor continued to ring in his ears.

"Usually it will be okay, but her body is too weak, so it really depends on her strength of will if she can make it through. We've run out of the herbs we need to help in stabilizing her body temperature. It's too late to fetch them tonight. We will try in the morning."

Aoba's hazel eyes flashed as a small ray of hope sprung inside his heart. "I will find them."

At that exclamation, the doctor and the nurse's eyes went wide in horror and mortification.

"No you can't! It's dangerous! There's a storm outside that shows no sign of stopping until at least morning! It's too dangerous going into the forest with this kind of weather." The nurse quickly explained, and Aoba could feel her concern for him. Normally Aoba would be very thankful for her thoughts, but right now he was too angry and too scared, and he was not unable to think very clearly when his grandmother's life was at stake.

"I don't care about the storm! I can't let Grandma suffer like this without doing anything, right?!"

"Can you just calm down?" The doctor grabbed Aoba's shoulder. "You do realize that in this kind of weather, there's no light to help you to differentiate between regular plants and the herbs we need. It's already night. It's dark, it's raining, and it will be slippery and dangerous to wander around the forest. Not to mention the story about the beast living in there…"

The blue haired man flashed an angry glare and pulled his arm free of the doctor's grasp. "I don't believe in that stupid legend, okay?! I will be fine, so just tell me what herb I have to find and let me go!"

_I won't give up. Not now… Grandma…_

His hazel eyes were full of absolute resolve. The doctor, seeing this, slumped his shoulders in surrender. He knew he could not stop this boy from going. In defeat he told Aoba the details; the herb's name, how many they needed and what it looked like.

After uttering an apology, Aoba took off and ran to the forest, not caring for the rain or the strong wind that hit his thin body.

When he reached the forest, he replayed the information the doctor gave him over in his mind.

The forest was dark—really dark. He almost could not see anything here at all. It was also very cold, and the path is very slippery because of the heavy rain. Not to mention, he didn't bring anything to protect himself, so he was definitely dead meat once he encountered wolves here.

_Never go to the forest when night comes._

All of those thoughts however were gone in a blink of an eye as he remembered his grandmother's condition, and he gritted his teeth as he started to run. The doctor had mentioned that the herb was really hard to find, and they could only be found near the fence border lining the 'beast's' nest. So Aoba ran. Ran deeper into the forest. Ran deeper into a whole new level of fear.

He was freezing, his legs numb from the cold. He slipped several times, and he groaned in pain as he felt the blood seeping out of his grazed knees, yet still he tried to search for the herb—with only sheer motivation fuelling his every movement. He cursed because he could not clearly see it beneath the thick darkness, only imagine what it looked like from the description. Though he searched and searched he could find nothing like it, anywhere, adding to his desperate frustration.

The doctor had said it could be found near the perimeter…

Then could it be there must be more beyond the warning sign?

Aoba swallowed the lump in his throat. He had heard those howls at night alright. He knew that it was dangerous.

_Never try to wander into the depths of the lost wood._

Cold and injured, bleeding and numb—He needed to get back fast. If he had to be here for another hour, he was certain to lose consciousness, if not worse. He could not return with nothing; he _had_to get back, and soon. Aoba didn't care about himself truthfully, but Tae….

_She's a strong woman, she will find a way to hang on until I come back._

He tried to comfort himself, then after finding his resolution once more, he tried to walk around the fencing, trying to find a loophole so he could get passed to the inner side of the forest.

To the beast's home.

It didn't take long for him to find an old and rusty part of the fence, destroying it with a small plank of wood.

Aoba forced himself in, kneeling down to examine the plants there. The sound of rain was reverberating in his ears and he could feel his lips surrendering to the kiss of the chill air. He could feel the encroaching haze of unconsciousness dancing at the edges of his mind, so he bit his lips until they bled to stay awake. He rubbed his wet hair from his face as it obscured his vision. Even without any light, his eyes were now adjusted to the dark and he could see the form of the plants better.

He wondered if he was the first person to pass this barricade since it was made. The path was noticeably filled with more roots and grass. The blue haired man forced his body to move despite the cold, and then the hazel eyes finally found something. That plant… could it be…

He was right. Aoba grinned in triumph as he felt the flower petals with his shivering fingertips. This was the herb. He quickly picked some—more than he needed to just in case.

His relief was short lived, washed away by immense fear as he heard a growl that was definitely not human.

No way. Could it be… the wolves?

Thinking it should be enough, Aoba quickly pocketed the herb and ran as quickly as he could back to the barrier. The rain had dulled his senses and he was almost out for good.

And now the wolves are coming for him.

Yeah, today was definitely not his best birthday.

He could feel his heartbeat quicken as fear enveloped his body, interlacing with the frosty storm of the night. He could feel the wolves—or whatever they were—following him… stalking, circling, running to catch him.

To kill him.

The thought made his body tremble and in that moment he tripped over his own feet. Aoba moaned in pain as he fell to the ground, mud and dirty puddles slashing and staining his already drenched clothes. He gritted his teeth and tried to get up, to run away from the terror that was looming still, somewhere behind him…

_Never look back when you feel like you're being followed._

The overwhelming fear managed to make his over pushed body get up and run. It didn't matter where; he moved blindly in the night in what he could only hope was towards safety. His body hurt like hell, and he was freezing and drenched from head to toe. He could taste blood in his mouth from his fall and his head was throbbing as he tried to grasp onto something, anything. Aoba heard a rustle behind him and he gasped as he slowly turned his face—eyes widening in horror and mortification.

When lightning struck, he saw it briefly. A flash, illuminating the terror that lurked in the night.

It was not wolf. It was definitely not a wolf.

It was bigger than a wolf… with gnawing fangs… and thick fur…

"No…" Aoba unconsciously said as a sense of dread washed over him. "No…"

_Never go to the forest when night comes. Never try to wander into the depths of the lost wood. Never look back when you feel like you're being followed._

_There is a dangerous beast that lives in the forest._

Hearing a low growl echoing across the dark, Aoba snapped out of his fear, remembering WHY he had come here.

_…Remember to never give up, always._

Wolf or beast, or _anything_ it was, it didn't matter. He had known the risks of coming here. He wouldn't give up. He would never give up. Screaming out all the air in his lungs to momentarily distract that beast and lurching forward, he ran in a desperate bid towards the barricade—towards his home—towards his waiting grandmother.

It was not to be. Suddenly feeling as though he had stepped on air, a moment of weightless overcame him before gravity returned and he started to fall.

_Eh?_

_What…_

It took him a while before he realized that he was actually falling from a cliff.

And the path towards his home was just before his eyes too…

Aoba closed his eyes slowly, teeth biting into his lips as he silently cried out.

_Am I going to die?_

_Not from the urban legend's beast, but because I am falling from a cliff…_

_No, I don't want to die now… Grandma is waiting…_

He reached out a hand, trying to grab on to something, but he could only feel the strong wind and rain rushing passed his fingertips as fell to his death…

Would he die just like this? All alone in a freezing, cold and stormy night…

"Grandma…" Aoba felt a sudden tiredness as he slowly closed his eyes, waiting for the shivery embrace of death to come for him as he fell.

…Weirdly and ironically enough though, the last memory he could remember before he fell unconscious was that death felt like a warm embrace of a gentle being, keeping him safe from the harsh reality of the night...

The first thing he felt when he woke up, was warmth.

Weird… wasn't he supposed to be in the depths of the forest, lost to the caress of a frigid tempest?

Aoba's eyes blinked open, his head was ringing with pain at the sudden light fulfilling his eyes. When his hazel eyes finally adjusted, he examined his surroundings. He was in a small cabin with the only source of the light was the small fire burning in the hearth. The cabin seemed like it was in no state for any humans to live in—it was very messy, the walls were littered with cracks , and there was not many furniture you usually found on one's house. However for some reason—aside from the fact that someone had lit a fire in this cabin—Aoba could tell that someone had been living in this cabin, which didn't seem like a good place for habitation at all.

_Yeah right… if it even was human._

Aoba remembered it now. He was being chased until he fell from that cliff. Honestly, although he didn't want to give up, he had shamefully thought he would definitely die and had abandoned all hopes to still be alive. That's why the young man was surprised to find himself to be still alive. Aoba could hear the faint sound of strong rain outside, and turned his head towards a broken glass window.

The storm was still rampant it seemed.

With his condition, and everything that had just happened, it seemed like he could not go home now. Desperation and worry overcame his thought as an image of a certain old woman showed up in the blue haired man's mind.

_Grandma…_

Aoba wondered where he was now. The biggest possibility was he was still in the forest, but if it that was the case…

Didn't that mean there was a person who had been living in the forest, despite the dangerous animals and the urban legend that surrounding it?

Aoba moved, only to feel a stinging pain in his legs and he cringed. Right, he had fallen over tree roots and tripped over his legs several times. He looked over to check himself, and blushed when he saw the condition he was in.

He was naked. Fully naked with only a thick blanket covering over his fair skin.

He had been unconscious for quite a long time, so he didn't know what exactly happened, but the man with the royal blue coloured hair could guess what happened with checking his surroundings. Someone… someone had saved him and brought him to this unused cabin. He could see his drenched clothes hanging on an old chair near the couch he had been sleeping on. His saviour apparently noticed that Aoba was freezing from the storm and had undressed him, ensuring he didn't get sick, and covered him with a blanket to warm him up.

It was kind of strange and embarrassing to think an unknown person undressing him while he was unconscious, but Aoba was grateful for this person to have saved him.

Aoba heard something. Outside. And then he saw it.

A shadow of a person.

Feeling curious, and also overwhelmed by feelings of gratitude, Aoba tried to stand and approached the room next to his. The rooms' doors were already broken down, so Aoba could hear the sound of the fire very clearly, as well the rustling of the man. The moment he stood up, electric bolts of pain shot him in his head and in his legs, but after some time, it became bearable and Aoba started walking, bringing the blanket to at least cover himself in some kind of decency.

The old floor creaked as Aoba walked and by that, the blue haired man was pretty sure this really was not a normal cabin humans usually would live with. A small, but growing suspicion came to nagging in the back of his head about who his saviour really was. Could it be he had been living in this cabin that's no longer suitable for humans to live in for a long time?

When Aoba peeked into the living room, concealing himself behind the door frame as much as he could, he saw his saviour sitting on the floor across the fireplace, as if trying to warm himself up. He could tell by his back that he was quite a muscular guy with eerily pale skin and dark, spiky hair. And as if to add to his already growing suspicion, this man's body hair… seemed unnatural.

Despite all of that, Aoba approached the man carefully while keeping his distance with the pale brunette. A small grunt of surprise and twitch of his shoulders told Aoba that the man finally realized his presence, and Aoba felt his heartbeat quicken in a mix of fear and excitement.

"…Are you the one who saved me?" Aoba started off, slowly. He could tell by the wary sigh that the man heard him, but for some reason the man flinched in something akin to… fear? Aoba stared at his back in confusion as he saw the dark haired man move farther from Aoba, as if trying to avoid him.

… He was not going to have any of this. To the other man's surprise, Aoba took a step closer and approached him, hands tightening on the blanket that had been covering his body.

"Don't be scared." The blue haired man tries to soften his voice as he came closer carefully, although inwardly he was confused why he had to treat this man like some… some kind of little, scared animal? "I just want to thank you."

To Aoba's surprise the man growled. It was the kind of growl no human usually would spout on and it gave shivers to Aoba's body, but he also realized despite the heightening intensity, the taller man refused in any way to show Aoba his face.

"… Stay away." His voice was deep, and Aoba could hear tone of pain beneath that masculine voice.

…now this was weird. Why would he have saved him if he was afraid to look at the person he saved on eyes?

Feeling his own stubbornness leading him on, Aoba followed his actions through his own instincts as he approached the man even more boldly, and grabbed his shoulder to turn him face to face.

—He didn't expect him to roar angrily and push him onto his back.

They fell with a loud thud, and the blanket slipped over a bit, revealing Aoba's white chest as he stared in shock at the amber eyes that was glaring from above him. If the situation had been different, Aoba would have been embarrassed with the… enthralling position they were in. However the time Aoba took a good look on the man's face, he could feel shock taking over his embarrassment quite quickly.

The source of the light in the cabin was only from the fireplace, making it difficult to see the dark haired man's features. But it was more than enough for Aoba to understand why he had been refusing to show his face… and why Aoba felt the growing fear each time he took a step forward to approach this… this…

What _was_ he actually? He took the form of a human… but he had unnatural body hair from his hands to near his shoulders and his legs were covered in much the same way, that when Aoba looked closer, it was actually _fur_. He also had some of the fur on his face, though not as much as on his body. He constantly growled and grunted as if he was getting ready to catch his prey, just like an animal would. The slits in his eyes were also more beastly, not the circular pupils of a human. He had really unnatural fangs that were bigger than humans had. He looked like…a...

_…beast_, a small voice in the back of Aoba's brain called to him. _He looks like a beast._

_He is the beast that is depicted in the urban legend._

This confirmed his suspicion, if the trembling of fear from his body didn't tell him enough.

As if the man—the beast—realized his fear, his expression changed from that look of an angry animal into something akin to shock, before avoiding Aoba's gaze as his face contorted as though in pain.

"…I told you not to get closer," Aoba could feel his warm breath on his face, and in a momentary of confusion and fear, Aoba could even tell that the amber eyes of the man above him seemed so… so sorrowful. "You humans hate me."

He then sat up, leaving the shorter of the two who was still on floor, paralysed with confusion and dissolving fear swirling in his head. The man proceeded to scoff and showed an expression filled with not only disgust and hatred, but also pain and desolation.

"What's wrong? Aren't you scared?" The pale skinned brunette taunted him, still with the same expression he wore from earlier, and it started to sink in Aoba's head, the situation he was in—the situation _they were in_—as each word of empty threat came out of his lips. "Go on. Scream. Try to hurt me, then run away in fear. Just like they did. Just like everyone did."

Aoba sat up as he looked at the man in front of him—who now already closed his eyes dejectedly, expecting Aoba to do any of what he had just said. And after a while, only the sound of the fireplace could be heard inside of the cabin.

Aoba was scared, alright. It was a lie if he said he was not scared at all in this kind of situation, but...

But despite it all, the blue haired man could feel his sorrow, and in turn, it also pained him to hear those kind of words from him. He remembered those howls he heard at night at his home sometimes. Those howls which are depicted as howls filled with hatred towards humanity… those howls which sounded so sad and lonely…

When Aoba looked at the man in front of him again, he noticed he was trembling. It could not be because of the cold—the fireplace was warming the room up.

It was easy to tell though. He was scared. What he was scared of, Aoba didn't know, but with such a sorrowful expression from his face Aoba felt he understood something. And it also pained him to know it.

"No… How could I? How could I run away? You… you saved me." Aoba softly answered with a melancholic voice, and the pale skinned brunette quickly turned his face back with a surprised look, as if he never heard those words for his life.

How long… how long he had been living here, all alone? How long had humans abandoned him in this place?

When Aoba first moved to the Old District Village, he was still six. When he first moved there, the rumor of the beast in the forest had already become an urban legend of the village.

_Almost two decades… and could even be more…_

Thinking of that made Aoba pity the dark haired man and he could feel a painful tug inside of his chest, as he carefully reached his hand towards the man's pale skinned face.

He knew the feeling of being lonely. It felt so painful and sad and Aoba could not stop crying back then after he realized that his parents would not be going home soon as they bid their farewells. But even so, he had Grandma. Grandma had always filled his loneliness with all her love and care. Not only her… he also had met Koujaku, Clear, Noiz, Mizuki, and Mink. He had met wonderful people in the village to fill his loneliness. But this man… the beast as what they called him…

He was alone. He had always been alone.

In this forest… in this cabin… with no one there to comfort him when he's sad… with no one there to show him love…

With no one else to fill his void of emptiness he would howl at night… waiting for someone, calling out anyone…

It hurt so much that even Aoba held his breath to hold his voice from wavering.

When the dark haired man realized Aoba was reaching out his hand, he flinched and growled, amber eyes squinting in a glare. Even though Aoba was scared, his stubbornness won over and he knew that this man had no ill intent, so he leaned in, closing their distance more and more.

"Don't worry… I won't hurt you."

When the brunette made no move, slowly—carefully—Aoba placed his hand on the taller man's furred cheek.

It was warm. It was as warm as his grandmother's cheek when he embraced her.

…it was warm just like how he touched a human.

The taller of the two looked confused and surprised, and by his expression, Aoba could tell he had never felt a humans touch for a long time. It even pained Aoba _ more to think of that, and so he proceeded to stroke his fur, to the other's surprise.

"Thank you… for saving me." Aoba then said softly, and boldly turned his face to stare right into the man's eyes, trying to show that his words were sincere, from the bottom of his heart.

"…!"

When the man felt that hand stroking his fur, he flinched, afraid that somehow, the blue haired man was going to hurt him. But after some time, he felt that feeling disappear, replaced by a new feeling he had almost forgotten. A new feeling other than sadness, pain, and misery.

Wasn't this what those humans called by 'happiness'?

It felt so warm. It felt so suffocating.

It felt like he was going to _cry_.

It was the first time he felt the warmth of a human against his skin.

It was the first time someone welcomed him not as a _beast_, but as a _person_.

By his pained, surprised expression, Aoba could tell the man with this beast appearance like had never even heard 'thank you' before. So he continued to stroke his fur to comfort him, trying to fill the gap of loneliness he had been forced to face for those years of being alone.

Aoba let out a surprised yell when suddenly the man beast in front of him pulled him into a tight embrace, as if trying to suck in the warmth of Aoba's body. To convey his happiness and his gratitude. To feel more. His expression looked like he was in pain, but Aoba could feel his heart beating in sync with his own, and he could understand how touched, how relieved, how happy this man was.

He let out a laugh as the spark of fear that came when the man-beast launched at him dissolved into a warm, sincere gladness. He might have beastly features, but rather than a scary beast the urban legend depicted him as, he looked more like a big puppy.

"What's your name?" Aoba asked as he felt said big puppy nuzzle his cheek to his bare shoulder—it was a bit embarrassing and ticklish at the same time. "Do you have one…?"

"Ren." The brunette breathed with his deep voice, this time with a relieved tone.

"Ren…" Aoba tasted the name in with his lips, and smiled as he patted Ren's hair—feeling the soft dark blue locks with his fingertips. "It's a really good name."

He felt Ren shifted, and nudged Aoba with his nose, before proceeding to lick him, to Aoba's surprise.

…what, he really WAS just like a big puppy with human form.

"What, me?" Aoba chuckled at the animalistic, yet playful gesture from the taller man. To return the affection, he caught Ren's face with his both of hands—no longer have any trace of fear left—and brings their foreheads closer until they bumped. "I am Aoba."

"Aoba," Ren tried the name. It felt foreign to let out another name rolled out of his tongue after living for years without having anyone to talk to. Aoba smiled proudly at his effort before went full out grinning.

"That's right! I am Aoba. Nice to meet you, Ren."

Ren stared at Aoba for a long time, before slowly—to Aoba's own surprise—let his lips tugged upwards in a smile.

"Nice meeting you… Aoba."

_Wow_. Aoba could feel himself blush for a bit.

It was the first time Aoba saw Ren smile since he was saved by him.

To the blue haired man's amazement… He looked so beautiful when he smiled.

_Never go to the forest when night comes. Never try to wander into the depth of the lost wood. Never look back when you feel like you're being followed._

_There is a dangerous beast that lives in the forest._

It was the urban legend Aoba had learned when he was still a kid, and never believed in until now.

In this cold, stormy night, for the first time, he encountered the dangerous beast of the forest.

…or rather if he could personally say, a lonely big puppy with a beautiful smile.

What he didn't know yet was that, his normal, happy days he had been living were going to change because of this fateful meeting.

_Chapter 1: Boy meets Beast. END._

**This story is beta-ed by hentaidesuyo. If it's not for her this story will never be finished. Thank you!**

**The herb plant Aoba has to search in order to save Tae is blue rosemary flower if anyone is wondering. The meaning of the flower also have meanings that will (probably) be revealed in later chapters.**

**Also, I will probably draw some scenes for later chapters**** (You can look at them in AO3 or under junjoupureheart username after I updated) ****, depending of the readers' response. Please tell me if you want me to do some illustrations for later chapters^^**

**Thank you for reading!**


	2. His Form of Affection

**I am sorry for the long wait! I hope you enjoy this chapter.****  
****Thank you for ruffruffren for betaing this chapter. This fic is dedicated for you 3**

Now that he thought about it, he actually had experienced the warmth of humans once. It was a very long time ago, so much so he had almost erased it completely from his memories.

He remembered the time he was still 'human'.

He remembered he was trying to run away from something.

What was it that he ran away from?

...He couldn't remember. He couldn't remember anything.

The very first thing from his life that he could remember was... That he had ended up on a beach.

A couple of travelers had found him on the beach near church there. They had asked him his name.

...He couldn't remember.

So they named him.

'Ren'.

It was his new name. His new life. His new identity.

They had said something about wanting to bring him home, but couldn't because they were in a rush. So they brought him to the nearest village, asking someone to take care of him. They agreed, so after staying with him for a few days, the travelers said their fairwells to him.

They had taught him many things in those few days. They had taught him how to speak. They had taught him how to socialize with other people.

They had taught him how to be a 'person'.

They embraced him before they continued their journey. They had kissed him.

'It's a form of affection,' One of the travelers had said.

It felt warm. It felt good. It felt nice.

He thought, 'this is what happiness feels like.'

...But then something happened.

Not long after the couple of travelers left him in the village, out of nowhere... His body grew fur. It grew on his arms, on his legs. The slits of his eyes shrinked, that it looked like animal's eyes rather than that of a human's. His teeth also looked bigger than what a normal child his age should have, taking on the appearance of fangs.

That was when the villager's attitudes changed drastically. The once warm smiles in his eyes had turned into fierce glowers of anger. The once kindness and love he was given had turned into hatred and hostility.

'Monster!' They jeered at him.

'Beast!' They snarled at him.

'Go away from here!' They said as they threw stones at him, chasing him out until he was gone from the village.

It hurt.

Not only physically, but also mentally.

It was the first time he remembered that he cried. He was taught that droppings of water from the eyes were called 'tears', but he had no idea why it felt really painful to shed those hot, salty droplets. He wondered for the first time, what this emotion was called—what this emotion meant for humans.

He ran and ran, trying to find that warmth-that form of affection he once had. He tried to survive on his own, even though he was a mere child in the middle of world's cruelty.

He ran from a village to village, from one town to another. No one had yet to accept him. He hadn't given up, though. He kept on running, he kept on searching.

He ran until he found a forest. He continued to run still, trying to find another human.

'They will understand', he thought. 'They will try to understand.'

He was wrong. He couldn't have been more wrong.

It was worse than what the last village did to him. They had not only called him names, they had not only thrown stones. They had also tried to kill him. He ran back to the forest, and there they made a cage for him; the tall, twisting trees would become his cage to shelter the outside world from him.

_There is a beast living in the forest_, they began to chant.

_He hates humans more than anything, and he is not afraid to show his hatred, howling every single night. _

Then they made a story of him. A story of a beast that fed on humans. A story of a beast that hated humans.

He couldn't believe it. They caged him and made a line between him and them, as if he was different...

... As if he was a dangerous animal.

All he wanted was their understanding and yet they didn't even give him the chance to explain.

He had been angry. He had cried himself dry.

It was then when he started to despise humans.

He hated them. He hated them who locked him in to strangeness.

If 'beast' was what they wanted to call him, then let him become the 'beast'.

He would mirror their hatred, like for like, and despise them the same way they despised him. It was the only thing he could do as a form of revenge.

But it didn't feel good at all.

He felt devastated. He felt anguish, sorrow and pain.

Why? He had asked. Even though he was rejected by them, why did it not feel good to hurt them back? They had tried to kill him, so why could he not shake off these emotions? Why didn't he want to?

...No. He knew exactly why.

_Because I still have hope._

_I still have hope that one day... They will understand._

_I still have hope that one day... They will come for me. They will apologize. They _ _will wrap their arms around me_ _. They will kiss me._

_I still have hope that one day... A person will once again give me that form of affection._

_So I will wait. I will wait and wait and wait and wait._

_That person is running to me. He is trying to reach me as fast as he can._

_That's why... I will wait._

_Until that time comes... I will wait._

_Until I can give that person my form of affection back..._

_I will keep on waiting._

"...Ren..."

Aoba stared at the pale brunette in front of him, shock and sadness reflected in his honey colored eyes. Ren didn't say anything more, and the only thing that filled the silence was the sound of the fireplace in the cabin.

When he asked Ren to tell the story of his past, he had already expected it wouldn't be happy and all flowery, but still...

That was too harsh and too cruel.

Aoba didn't know what to say. There was nothing he could say.

What if he ended up hurting Ren more with his careless, clumsy words?

No actually, Ren must be feeling the pain of his past to even be telling Aoba all of this. Aoba cursed himself. Could he be more dense? He was the one who forced Ren to remember all of those painful things...

He peeked to see Ren's expression, and he quickly tore his gaze in embarrassment when he realized Ren had actually been staring at him.

"I... I am sorry," The blue haired man muttered slowly—sighing as he understood he should be the one who broke the silence. He felt guilty as hell, but knowing how long Ren had been deprived of human interaction, Aoba had no choice but to start the conversation himself. "I shouldn't have asked."

Ren—on the other hand—looked confused.

"Why?" The taller of the two furrowed his brows as he inclined his head slightly. The gesture was so innocent and cute that Aoba couldn't help but smile a bit.

"Well... It must be hurting right? Telling me all those painful experiences, reliving them all over again... I am sure it's not something you want to remember."

"It's nothing, really." Ren shook his head as he carefully—as if he was afraid to hurt him—touched Aoba's shoulder. When Aoba brought his gaze back to him, Ren gave him a warm smile. "After all, my wish did come true. It was proof that my waiting is not senseless after all."

Hearing him saying that with such a happy expression made Aoba's heart skip a beat. He couldn't help it; Ren was nothing like the beast he imagined. He was like a newbornbaby that didn't understand a thing—so innocent and kind of naïve. A glance to his face was enough to know he was sincerely and honestly happy from the bottom of his heart.

...Well Ren was kind of scary when they first encountered each other in the forest... But when Aoba remembered that Ren had been caged, all alone and suffering the hurtcaused by the villagers, it was not hard to figure Ren had acted out of self defense.

And moreso... Ren was the one who saved Aoba after all.

As Aoba remembered that and the condition he was in when he woke up, he felt his cheeks warm as embarrassment sunk into his head.

"Ah, Ren... Were you the one who undressed me when I was still unconscious?"

The brunette blinked his amber eyes before he nodded with a straight face. "Yes. Your body was freezing, and you were so pale, I had to quickly remove your clothes and warm you up with the only blanket I have."

"Ah... I-I see... Thank you." Aoba stuttered as his cheeks reddened even further with shame. What was he thinking? Of course Ren wouldn't understand the embarrassment of being nude in front of others—he had been living alone for years. Aoba bit his lips as he hung his head, knowing he had been foolishly worrying over nothing. Even if he was naked and Ren was staring at him, he knew Ren wouldn't feel uncomfortable with all those things.

Still, it was not so easy to get rid of his own embarrassment and to act normal, knowing he was totally naked with only a blanket covering him. Not to mention, someone kept staring at him with such piercing eyes...

Ren furrowed his brows and a guilty look was visible in his amber eyes.

"Aoba... Did I do something wrong?"

"Eh? No no no it's not like that!" Aoba quickly replied, cheeks red, obviously taken aback with Ren's response. "I mean, people aren't usually not comfortable being naked, so it's kinda embarrassing and all but... But you did it to save me so I really am grateful to you for that!"

"I see..." Ren seemed relieved at Aoba's flustered response. "My apologies. I didn't know about humans cultures and antics that much."

Figures, Aoba thought tiredly.

But now that he thought about it... Ren seemed to know things about human's condition more than he thought despite being alone in forest for so long.

"Did you know about it from experience? You know, the thing about undressing me and keeping my freezing body warm with blanket..." The man with royal blue hair asked again. Ren nodded.

"I have suffered storms like this few times." Ren moved his gaze toward the window, pointing at the storm that was still rampant, much to Aoba's dismay. He was so worried about Tae's condition, but he hid it behind a mask, not wanting to let Ren notice. "It was really hard at first and I didn't know what to do, but after several times I just follow what my physical needs tell me to survive."

Aoba's eyes widened, clearly amazed. Ren's instincts were clearly stronger than that of what a normal human usually had.

Of course… Aoba thought bitterly. He had been forced to live like an animal for years, after all.

"And this cabin..." Aoba looked at his surroundings, pointing out the broken glass and cracks in the wall with his eyes."Have you been living in a place like this long?"

Again, Ren nodded.

"It was a miracle I found this place in the middle of the forest. It has been my shelter for some time from the upcoming storms." The dark haired man let out a little chuckle. "Of course, it's far worse than what the humans probably have. The condition is really bad compared to the hut I used to live in the village back then..." His lips tightening was visible for a moment when he said that, but before Aoba could say anything, the pain that flashed in his expression disappeared. "...but still, it's more than I need to keep living, so I am still grateful."

"I see..." Aoba felt the weight on his chest dissolving into a small tired sigh. "You really have gone through a lot, huh, Ren?"

The brunette only smiled sadly. Before Aoba realized it, he felt a furry arm creeping behind his back and gasped when once again Ren pulled him into an embrace. He flushed as he felt the warmth of his Ren's bare chest againts his own skin.

"...! R-Ren...!"

"I am sorry, Aoba." It felt ticklish when he breathed his deep voice againts Aoba's neck, and Aoba could have sworn his heart was stopped for a moment there. "But to be able to feel this warmth again... To be able to feel your warmth...I... I feel so happy."

"..."

Dear lord. What had he gotten himself into?

Aoba could feel his head spinning and hear his heartbeat speed up-embarrassment and awkwardness sinking into his body.

It was really strange. It felt too close—too weird, too intimate to do this with someone you just met. Not to mention they are pressing against each other's skin here! He could smell his warm, wild scent from being so close. A-and he could hear Ren's voice so close to his ear... And his warm breath in his neck...

His body shivered in a new sensation he had never felt. He felt strange... He felt... so weak in his embrace.

It wasn't like he had never thought of doing things like this, whether it would be with a guy or girl, but to think he would have gotten himself in this situation with the 'beast' of the urban legend he had only just met...

Of course Aoba knew Ren was not a normal person. He probably didn't understand how awfully intimate this act was.

But he looked so happy. He looked so honestly and sincerely happy that Aoba couldn't bear to stop him.

He had been all alone for almost 20 years or maybe even more... to finally be able to talk again with another person... To feel a person's warmth and acceptance after so long... It must feel like a miracle for Ren.

_Still... I don't think my heart can take this..._

"...Aoba..."

Not good. Not good not good not good. Why did he have to call him with such low, feverish voice? Ren was so close. Too close. Aoba could feel his face heat up in embarrassment as Ren's gaze pierced into him.

This was really awkward. He had to do something—or say something—anything will do!

"R-Ren..." Aoba shifted, and thank God Ren finally released him. "Do you know when probably the storm will end?"

"It should end in an hour or more. The rain is not as strong as before." The man with amber eyes answered, frowning a bit as he did so. "Are you going back soon?"

There was a hint of disappointment in his voice, Aoba realized much to his dismay.

"I have to go back soon," The blue haired man admitted regretfully. He had to go back for her. He had been unconscious for God knows how long, and he was also trapped because of the storm.

There was someone who was also waiting for him after all.

"My grandma is sick," Aoba continued. "I came here to search for herbs that's needed for her treatment."

This time, it was Ren who looked surprised.

"In such weather?" He asked with something akin amazement and surprise in his voice.

Aoba could feel embarrassment creeping up to his face once more. He could feel even Ren who had been living all alone without any other people's presence found his act to be quite outrageous.

"W-well, the doctor said they didn't dare to fetch the herbs in this kind of storm, but my grandma's life is at stake here! I can't just stay silent and do nothing, right?"

"That was really reckless of you."

Geh...!

Damn, his honest words hurt a lot more than Aoba thought. Especially because it came from the 'beast' that was depicted from the urban legend himself.

Ren was probably right though. Now that he thought about it, he felt much calmer than he was before, despite the worry for his grandmother that was still growing in his heart. The panic made it so that he couldn't really think with a cool head, and as a result he had made some stupid decisions; running blindly into a dangerous forest in the middle of storm, not thinking about the dangers...

If Tae was here, she would definitely have smacked him and yelled at him for being such an idiot.

How ironic and embarrassing, to be reminded about that from the beast itself…

"I don't want to hear that from someone who saved a person that might try to hurt him," Aoba pouted, trying to hide his embarrassment in a retort. "For someone who hates humans for so long, you took care of me quite well."

Ren let out a small chuckle when Aoba waved the blanket childishly to emphasize his words.

"I can't let you die," Ren muttered softly, and Aoba turned his gaze back to Ren when he realized his seriousness. "You were different from the other people that encountered me."

"Different?" The man with the blanket looked a bit confused. As far as he remembered, he was as scared as any other told the urban legend in his village when he encountered Ren.

A pang of guilt rose in his heart, thinking of how Ren felt when he saw him like that.

"How so?" Aoba's hazel eyes softened as he muttered that slowly.

The man with the beastly features furrowed his eyes a bit, as if he was thinking of something hard.

"...you are the first person that gets inside the perimeter. The other people that came to the forest already ran to their homes when night gets dark."

"That's just because they believe in the urban legend. I didn't believe in it, and I am quite a stubborn person," Aoba laughed half heartedly, feeling ashamed to honestly say his feelings. "... I was as scared as they were when I met you."

"...and yet you still came here, breaking inside the perimeter in the middle of a storm?"

"..." Aoba felt his eye twitch half in annoyance and half in embarrassment from Ren's judging tone.

He had a point.

"No one had done that, you know?" Ren smiled softly. "In the amount of time I've been caged here, no one had dared to fight their fear and break into this perimeter for the sake of saving someone's life."

Aoba felt some sort of embarrassment as well happiness swelling inside him. Ren shifted and gave Aoba some space, and the man with azure locks stood up, bringing the blanket with him to hide him in some decency as he made his way to the room where his clothes were drying, intending to wear them. They were dirty and still quite wet, but it's far better than before.

Faintly, Aoba heard Ren's voice behind the door of his room.

"... Do you believe in the urban legend now?"

Aoba stopped his movement, actually surprised that the man with the beastly features was asking him a sensitive topic that he had been trying to avoid for his sake. Letting out a little chuckle, Aoba told him his answer.

"… Still no. All I believe in is your presence, Ren."

Aoba didn't have to see Ren's expression behind the door to know how satisfied Ren was, just by hearing his grunt. The sounds of rain had ceased for some time and Aoba realized it then that it was finally the time for him to go home… to go back to Tae's side.

He put his hands in the dirty pockets of his pants, and let out a relieved sigh when his fingers found the tickling sensation of the herb's roots_. They are still there, thank God_, he silently whispered.

Finally fully clothed, Aoba opened the door and Ren was there, looking at him with a hurt expression. Aoba felt his pain; it was hard for him to leave Ren, too, but he had to go back for Tae. He needed to know Tae's condition. He needed…

Oh God, the headaches were coming back.

He needed to calm down, somehow.

"Aoba, are you okay?" Ren must have seen his pained expression, and Aoba had to force a smile to convince him he was fine. "It's okay… I can still move, see?"

Ren stayed silent and even if he didn't believe Aoba, Aoba was glad he didn't say anything. Aoba moved to the front door and opened it, and he could feel the instant coldness of the wind rushing over his skin.

It was still dark, but it was clear enough for his hazel eyes to adjust io his surroundings. Probably around 5 in the morning, Aoba deduced. He looked back one more time, and forced another smile.

"Thank you, Ren. I really appreciate what you did to me," Aoba said sincerely, and Ren's lips tightened. "I have to go back now, my grandma is waiting."

Ren seemed like he wanted to say something, but he furrowed his eyebrows before he smiled.

"It is I who is the one who is supposed to thank you. You gave me a chance to be a human once again."

Ren fidgeted a bit, and while Aoba was dying to come home, filled with worry and urgent need to see Tae, he felt like he had to hear what Ren wanted to say. And like what Aoba thought, Ren seemed to find his resolve and looked straight at Aoba's eyes with his amber ones—determination flaming inside.

"Will you," He licked his lips once, or twice. "Will you come back again?"

Aoba blinked. Once, then twice.

Then burst out laughing, to Ren's confusion.

"Aoba?"

"No… I am sorry, you're just so hopelessly straightforward and innocent… I…" Aoba wiped his eyes, and feeling a little bad to see Ren's pouting face. Damn, looking at him like that made the bubbles of laughter he had been holding threaten to escape again. Screw beast… he was just a little puppy trapped on a some kind of human body. Probably.

Aoba took a step closer to Ren, amused with the taller man's puzzlement. He knew he shouldn't laugh. Of course Ren who had been all alone for years would be scared of being left alone again. He brought his hand to stroke Ren's cheek, and then he grinned widely.

"I will visit you again later. Everyday, I promise."

It was an oath not only to Ren, but also to himself.

Ren looked surprised, but Aoba decided that the relieved, happy smile that slowly spread on his face worthed it.

"You promised." He pressed, as if he wanted to make sure—as if he wanted to confirm the promise to make it become a reality. To make his suffering and loneliness finally come to an end and to change into a warm happy life of a normal human, the one he was supposed to have all those years ago. "You promised."

The urge need in the man beast's voice made Aoba's heart tingled with excitement.

"Yeah," Aoba nodded, the smile on his face was full of resolution and confidence. "Yeah, I promise."

Ren looked so relieved and happy that it literally hurt Aoba to behold. He never saw someone look so… so joyous and blessed just by a chance to meet with him again. Knowing how sad and miserable his past was, it made Aoba want to make him smile even more.

_He is not a beast._

_There's no way a beast can smile as beautiful as that._

Aoba was too distracted with his own thought, that he didn't realize Ren's face was so close to his until he felt the looming shadow on his face. He turned his face in confusion as Ren nudged his nose to Aoba's. Then, Aoba felt a sudden warm wetness against his lips.

Wait, did he just _lick_—?

Aoba had yet to finish his thought when Ren leaned in to kiss him.

It was too short to be called a kiss, actually, but for Aoba, the shock and surprise that dawned over him from that innocent brush was more than enough to send shiver down his spine followed by emotional turmoil all over his body. If he had been thinking about something, it all turned into a blank sheet of shock as he stared at Ren—eyes wide and face red out of embarrassment and bewilderment. Ren took a step back—a wide grin plastered on his handsome face.

"W…" The man with azure locks tried to say something, but apparently his body was still in shock, the delay compared to what his head wanted it to move. "Wha—"

"It's a form of affection," Ren muttered with a soft voice—his voice was deep and his breath was warm against Aoba's skin—or was it his body temperature increasing against his knowing?

"You promised." The pale brunette pressed again, a warm smile forming in his pale face. "I'll see you again."

Ren grinned so happily that for the first time after all these years of loneliness, he was able to show his affection to another human being. For Ren, who had been all alone waiting for ages, meeting Aoba who had treated him like another human being must be some kind of miracle, that he would treasure him as a form of gratefulness.

Aoba knew that—of course he knew that Ren didn't mean anything bad with that, that he was some kind innocent puppy unknowing and clueless about the world and say, the things he did, and he should definitely say something back to Ren, but still…!

"What's wrong, Aoba?" Ren looked so innocently confused, and Aoba almost feel frustrated with the unfairness that it was only him to feel so flustered and embarrassment over all of this.

"I—I have to go back now!" was all he could sputter in embarrassment as he ran from the old cabin not-so-gracefully way, blushing furiously as he tried to find his way back to his home. Ren stared at Aoba's running back until the shorter man couldn't be seen anymore, before his amber eyes fluttered, lips curled in a warm smile.

His lonely years of waiting had not been a waste. He felt like the entire situation was just a dream, and he had to pinch himself several times to make sure that no, it wasn't a dream. It was a reality.

Aoba was real… along with the warmth of the contentment that blossomed in his heart.

"Aoba," He muttered again, feeling the name roll from his tongue once again. It felt weirdly exhilarating for him to be able to speak again, to use the human language he had thought he had forgotten, and to call another's name again after years of howling and growling in animal speech.

After so long…

He felt 'happiness'.

"Aoba… Aoba…"

Closing his eyes, the pale skinned brunette smiled.

"…Aoba."

_Chapter 2: His Form of Affection. END._

**Thank you for reading! Your comments and critiques are always welcomed.**


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